A Colorado repeat offender turned a routine traffic stop into a dangerous chase and a manhunt that the district attorney says should never have happened.
Zakary Dean Hirschfield, 24, of Centennial, received a five-year prison term after pleading guilty to felony eluding of a peace officer following the January pursuit through Douglas County, authorities said.
Video released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office captures the nighttime escape, the pursuit through traffic and the moment deputies finally took Hirschfield into custody.
District Attorney George Brauchler said Hirschfield should have been locked up before he ever hit the gas.
"This case highlights the ripple effects of decisions made by other law enforcement agencies who had opportunities to lock this guy up before this dangerous episode," Brauchler said.
The pursuit began when a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy pulled Hirschfield over for speeding in Castle Pines. During the stop, Hirschfield suddenly accelerated toward the deputy, forcing the deputy to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, authorities said.
Video of the stop shows a deputy standing beside the vehicle before it abruptly pulls away. The deputy moves clear as the vehicle speeds down the residential street.
The deputy can be heard reporting over the radio that the driver tried to hit him. His female passenger screamed as he sped away, according to authorities.
Hirschfield tore through Highlands Ranch and Littleton at speeds exceeding 100 mph, crossing medians and driving against traffic before crashing into another vehicle, according to authorities.
Pursuit video shows deputies following the vehicle along roads busy with nighttime traffic, passing other motorists as emergency lights flash ahead.
His passenger later told deputies she repeatedly begged him to stop. Instead, he abandoned her and the wrecked vehicle and ran, authorities said.
Dozens of deputies, specialized units and aerial resources joined the search, with drones and a K9 tracking Hirschfield through a Littleton neighborhood.
Thermal drone video shows a person moving through an area with trees and brush as the aerial camera follows from above.
About an hour after the initial traffic stop, deputies found Hirschfield beneath a porch, wearing only his underwear, authorities said. Body camera video shows deputies approaching a raised wooden structure with flashlights, then restraining the shirtless Hirschfield on the ground with his hands behind his back.
"Put your hands behind your back, behind your back," a deputy orders as officers restrain him.
A search of his vehicle turned up cocaine and drug paraphernalia, authorities said.
"Don’t run from our deputies. We will catch you and hold you accountable," Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said. "This defendant learned that the hard way and is now headed to prison. Putting our deputies and the public at risk will not be tolerated in Douglas County."
The chase followed a series of earlier court decisions that Brauchler pointed to in criticizing Hirschfield’s repeated releases.
In November 2024, an Arapahoe County judge gave Hirschfield probation and community service after a plea agreement resulting in a conviction for attempted distribution of fentanyl, according to prosecutors.
His probation was revoked less than three months later, but he was placed back on probation in June 2025.
Another motion to revoke his probation was filed Aug. 19, 2025, the same day he was released without having to post cash bail in Jefferson County on a new felony robbery charge, prosecutors said.
Five months later, he led deputies on the high-speed chase.
"This defendant put countless lives at risk that evening," Deputy District Attorney Zach Idris said. "Thanks to the efforts of the Sheriff’s Office, Hirschfield will now spend several years in the Department of Corrections, where he will have plenty of time to think about his reckless actions that put him there."
Brauchler closed with a blunt warning.
"Commit your crimes somewhere more forgiving, or heck, maybe don’t commit them at all."